of God Christ will crowne those with glory that had a heart to crowne him with thornes Å¿ Pudeat sub spinato Capite Membrum fieri delicatum Bern. in festo omn. Sanct. ser 5. if they 'l receive him he 's kind to the unthankfull that 's his goodnesse hee can blesse them that have curs'd him love them that hate him pray for them that persecute him oh flesh and bloud thou canst not doe these things This is the praise of Christ's love if you say he died for his friends we may answer as he did for his friends indeed as being heartily lov'd of Christ t Pro jam amicis nondum quidem amantibus sed tamen tam amatis Bern. in Psal qui habitat though like unkind friends they loved him not againe Or as Aquinas not his friends as loving him any thing onely his friends as lov'd by him alone v Non amici quasi amantes tantum amici ut amati Thom. Aquin in Johan uti Barrad to 4. l. 4. c. 15. And which is more Christ in suffering was no murmurer in the least measure he was led as a sheep to the slauohter and open'd not his mouth closed his blessed lips and was silent Oh Lamb of God! thou art exceeding good when wee suffer for friends there is some heart-risings in us some harsh and hard expressions fall from us discontented words are utter'd by us yea much more when wee suffer for our enemies But Christ was free from this did not charge his God with folly what ever he brought on him Some grudge to doe him service who never grudg'd to save them would they once accept of his love Sweet Christ's ill serv'd of some who have been well serv'd of him some thinke all too much they doe for Christ who thought all too little that he could doe for them would they come in But they 'l not come to him that they may have life sad soules I 'le sigh for you thus he refuseth his owne cure who acquaints not the Physitian with his griefe vv Ipse sibi denegat ceram qui medico non publicat causam Aug. Epist 118 hee dies deservedly who refuseth Christ bringing life eternally x Merito peritaegrotuâ— qui medicum non vocat sed ultrò venienentem respuit Musculus Prima pars sanitatis est velle sanati Seneca Secondly Christ loves more then a Father he loves children of Light more then Parents can doe theirs David may wish hee had dyed for his Absolom but the heart 's deceitfull and chiefly delusive in its affections That love may seeme strong which in great undertakings and workings may prove weake Christ did not onely wish a death once to preserve his from dying twice but did also embrace it will you heare his comfortable sayings in two or three words 't is this I lay downe my life no man takes it from me few words but full of worth They came from his heart had David died he could but have kept one alive and that not long but Christ's dying hath kept millions alive who shall never die the second death Christians what say you to your heavenly Father can you love as you are beloved how can you forget his goodnesse you cannot live much lesse die without the comforts of his love without him yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me severed from me y Calv. Camer c. Thirdly Christ loves more than a husband where 's the husband that will marry with a black deform'd and adulterous wife and when he hath got her so love her as to lay downe his life for her z Quis enim potest sic ducere ut moriatur pro ea quam vult ducere Si enim mori pro ea quam vult ducere voluerit non eâ—it qui ducat Securus autem ille pro sponsa mortous est quam resurgens eâ—at ducturus Aug. in Psal 122. Christ hath done it and thou knowest it beleeving soule if thou know'st what thou wert when Christ betroth'd thee to him Christ matcheth like Moses Moses his spouse could not be more defective in nature and outward comelinesse than was Christ's Spouse in grace and inward comelinesse and yet thou Spouse of Christ consider Moses could not doe that for his Spouse which Christ hath done for thee Moses married a certaine Ethiopian but could not metamorphise or change her colour a Moses Eâ—â—iâ—yssâ—uâ— quandâ—m duxit uxorem sed ejus non potuit mutare colorem Bern dom 1. â—ost octa Epiph ser 2. she was as black when made his wife as ever she was before But Christ makes of black white findes foule but makes faire b In sola anima pulchritudo turpitudo apparent ideo is solus vir pulcher est qui est virtute preditus Alexan. poedog l. 2. c. 12. that 's his method Psal 45.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the glory of the Kings Daughter is within as the Septuagint read the words 'tas ever been Christ's lot to light of spiritually uncomely Spouses sweet Lord thou marriest meerely for love when Christ seekes a soule he ne're askes the question what is she or what hath she he 'le have her if she 'l have him so great 's his love 'T is not dowry or feature he have it all he aimes at is love for love c Quam quaeris alium inter sponsus necessitudinem vel connexionem praeter amari amare Bern. in Cant. ser 31. Fourthly Christ loves man more than man loves himselfe all men seeme to love themselves but really they doe it not thy soule 's thy selfe and that 's neglected whence are all those cares and paines about thy carcase why lay'st thou so much out on dust Is the bodies worth like the soule 's d Quid de te tu ipse tà m malè meiuisti ut inter bona tua nolis aliquod esse malum nisi tcipsum Aug. in serm de temp was not he found a foole that heaped up goods for many yeares and plac'd felicity in them and in one night lost them soule and all canst thou say thou lov'st thy selfe and yet workest not towards Heaven for thy soule thy better part what shall the body be sed warmely clad sweetly accommodated and shall onely the soule be brought to poverty Is this selfe-love to let self die for ever for lack of looking too wilt thou bury a living soule in a dead body who for many years hath given life to thy members at the close of dayes wilt thou lodge it in a hell of torment e Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te Aug. Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum oh noble soule thou art a spirit whose nature 's to be active and act upward but thy prison the body hath been thy ruine Blessed God! what a bad case is such a soule in Others seem to seek out for their soules
Christians here 's your comfort that Christ's work doth never over-match the strength of the Operator 1 Cor 10.13 The faithfull God saith Paul will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to beare it is a worke of Christ and his service to endure temptation Christ's servants consider your Masters love what if Satan assaults you 't is not you he encounters withall but the power of Christ in you and so you shall bee able to reassault Satan His grace is sufficient * 2 Cor. 12.9 for thee z Sufficit mihi gratia tua cum deficiâ— virtus mea Bern. apud Cornel. à lapide in locum and which is more the Lord Christ gives thee a medicine with the maladie a cure with the disease Oh spirituall soule thy straits and reliefes come hand in hand unto thee a meanes of escape with the temptation this instance may suffice Thou mayst see by this how sweetly God season 's crosses with comforts Secondly by a continuation of intrinsecall supplies while 's they are ingaged by him that there be no impairing of the strength of his servants Services of men doe oft-times wast and consume the strength of servants some are even worne out by them have done so much for their Masters as that they can doe nothing for themselves But in Christ's services the Saints are as able at the last as first for Alpha and Omega is with them Such as waite on the Lord shall renew their strength Such mount up with wings like Eagles runne and shall not be weary walk not faint The services of Christ are all strengthning not at all weakning Thirdly by frequent forbearances when they offend hee shews love in that other Masters are prone to make the worst of every fault But Christ doth not tax thus discourage dishearten and discomfort so for every fault You righteous Enoch's that walke with God can speake better things of God than so if your indeavours be at the highest that you doe what you are able he makes no words of the sinnes of your services to discourage you Lam. 3.22 his compassions faile not a Compassio impassibilitate perdurat Bern. de grad humil his bowells cease not yerning towards his Psal 78.38 being full of compassion he forgave them their iniquity and destroy'd them not many a time turned he his anger away and did not stirre up all his wrath many a time often Christ is frequent in forbearances he can suffer much and suffer long Christians is he to you a patterne of like piety Fourthly by exacting no more from them than he hath promised to worke in them If God will have onenesse of heart newnesse of Spirit contrition faith patience love Ezek. 36.27 c. 11.19 20. he worke it in you b Is dat qui mandat qui jubet ille juvat Friends many complaine of want of power to serve Christ they cannot doe this or that or the other but is it not want of will Christ supplies thy former want c Da domine quod jubes jube quid vis Aug. He will put his Spirit within you and cause you to walke in his Statutes and yee shall know his Judgements and doe them you shall be his people and he will be your God and if want of will be the burthen he 'l supply that want also My people shall be willing in the day of my power d Juvat idem qui jubet Auson power and will goe hand in hand when Gods goodnesse workes kindly in us Fifthly by a continuation of his presence with them for their assistance when they faile in point of a right performance e Cum nullum agens secundum a gat nisi in vertute primi sitquè caro spiritur perpetuò rebillis uon potest homo licet jam gratiom consecutus per seipsum operare bonum vitare peccatum absquè novo auxilio Dei ipsum moventis â—irigentis protegentes quamvis alia habitualis gratia ad hoc ci necessaria non est via Aqui. sum 1. q. 2 â— q. 103. d. g. 'T is some ease to a servants mind when his Master will put to his hand to set forward the worke even so Christ do's speed the performances of his people by putting under his hand Will not this incourage what can be more inlivening to living Christians my soule followes hard after thee saith David hee was much in the thoughts of God God was with him and he with God but what 's the reason thy right hand upholds mee Psal 63.8 Christ's followers take hold on his Crosse and Christ will lay hands on 't too yea and beare the heavier end for them 'T is with a Christian as with plants which the heat and influence of the Sunne makes to thrive when Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse shines upon them is present with them they prosper all things grow in their hands and their comfort 's in the hands of Christ such as is his presence with them such is their life and no other Sixthly by setting before them the same Joy that his Father set before him in all his doings and sufferings the best way to encourage a servant in his worke is to set the reward before his eye thus God the Father served his Christ * Heb. 12.2 consider him therefore least you be weary of well doing and faint in your mindes * vers 3. Christians you are apt and prompt to wearinesse in spirituall services to faintnesse under the Crosse of Christ But saith the Lord * ver 2. looke unto Jesus consider his patience his suffering and remember for your comfort how hee now raignes the greatnesse and goodnesse of Christ's pay smoth's the the roughnesse of heavens way Secondly in suffering for them f Multo efficatior Christi mors in bonum quam peccata nostra in malum Christus potentior ad salvandam quam Daemon ad per dendum Bern. true lovers will suffer to their losse that they may gaine the thing they desire and having got that they love their hearts are at rest Christ suffered losse even of his glory for a season that the travaile of his soule might prosper in his hands and that he might inherit the sonnes of his love his peculiar portion Christ suffered both in life and death and for their sakes he lov'd not his life to the death Consider the greatnes of that work of dying for them by the worthinesse and fitnesse of the person which makes the salvation more glorious then else it could have beene which appeares to have in it a heavenly glory thus First that onely Christ and his death could be able to part that strife which was betwixt an offended God and offending man he is our peace saith the Scripture who hath made both one and broken downe the middle wall of partition between us he abolish'd the enmity in his flesh he made in himselfe of twaine one new man * Ephes
But Christs flock are his owne thus 1. By right of donation God hath given some to Christ and what 's more a mans owne then that which is given him The great God gives great gifts like himselfe millions of soules had Christ given him 1 Tim. 2.6 2. By right of purchase and Redemption Jesus Christ hath bought some 1 Cor. 6.20 given precious d Fortasis epithetum pretiosa nonnullum habet respectum ad pretium sanguinis Christi meritorium ejus Lorinus in locum bloud for some precious soules 1 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave himselfe for us not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a counter-ransome for all our sinnes Oh thou man of God ponder these things well in thine owne minde Christ gave his owne selfe for thy selfe and art not thou then his owne canst thou then have the heart to act such a part of unkindnesse against him as to serve thy selfe God forbid 3. By right of conquest hee hath conquerd some with kindnesse and overcome some with unexpressible love he hath subdued them to himselfe and their sinnes with Satan downe to the dust and therefore they may well be his and shall not he have the greatest share in them May not Christ say to a subjected soule as Paul to Philemon thou owest mee even thine owne selfe Me think 's the soule should thus reply yea Lord and take me and all mine for thine owne use my soule Spirit strength what I am or may be for it 's thine owne 4. By right of stipulation Ezek. 16.8 or Covenant-making I entred into a Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I entred into a contract or bargain with thee and shall not the Lord have his bargaine 5. By right of a gracious communication some are sweetly sanctified to the use of Christ to the service of Christ and no other The Lord hath set apart him that 's godly for himselfe Some are vessells of honour fitted for their Masters use Jo. 17.19.22 Ps 4.3 6. A Beleever is Christs owne by a right of Regeneration as he 's begotten againe in and after Christ's owne Image God the Father through Christ by his Spirit hath begotten them againe into Christ's owne likenesse The first Adam begat a sonne in his own likenesse after his owne Image e Gen. 5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel ut aliqui volunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuit secundum figuram suam the second Adam did so too And being begotten againe in his likenesse as children truly like their owne heavenly Father they are truly and properly call'd his own children End signifies diversly f Denique Erasmus tandem Beza ad finem usque i. e. indesinentur Piscator Omni tempore hoc est semper perpetuò First the continuation of a thing Psal 102.17 18. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise it this shall be written for the Generations to come i. e. inperpetuum for ever Isal 9.7 The Lord shall endure for ever * Assiduè Drusius this sence from the place Nazian perpetuò vulg lat in finem Where the Chaldie hath it in saeculum the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ loves his owne with an everlasting love Christians doe yee sometimes doubt through misapprehensions and mistakes 't is without cause given on Jesus his part Secondly end 's put sometimes for extremitie as misery sorrow and suffering is the end of sinning death is the end of life sorrow misery and death is mans extremity Messiah loves his owne in all their extremities 3. Sometimes it signifies perfection g The Graecians significantly call end and perfection by one and the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat tam perficio quam finem facio fineo obeo or consummo benevertit ergo Poeta Phyllirides pucrum citharâ perfecit Achillem also as growth is the end of youth i. e. the perfection of youth Glory is the end of grace viz. the perfection of grace for grace is initiall glory glory begun a christian that is sanctified seasoned and set apart to the Lords use begin's to live the life of glory even here in the Kingdome of grace Grace is glory inchoate Glory is grace consummate 4. Sometimes the scope or finall cause h Scopus seu causa finalis Rom. 10.4 1 Tim. 1.5 significat etiam exitus seu eventus Phil. 3.19 James 5.11 of things Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every man that beleeveth viz. that perfection of holinesse and that exquisite righteousnesse with greatest fulnes which the most holy God and his most holy Law aimed at and which is more he did compleatly answer and fully satisfie the exactest mandates and precepts of the same strictest Law for every beleeving soule Christ loves his to the same end the Law aimes at viz. to make them holy and present them blamelesse before his Father with exceeding great joy Ah Lord who is wise and see'th not strength of love shed abroad by the Spirit in the hearts of thine In this text it 's put for death onley he loved them to the end i. e. to the death not that death could put an end to Christ's love by which he adhered and doth adhere to his * Christ's love's immortall Mors igitur non finit omnia Death only ends mortall things Death was not able to breake the bands of friendship which were betwixt head and members Christ and christians that could not destroy the power of union betwixt him and his for how could death put an end to that which tooke away its sting from it Christ's love to his subdu'd him to incounter with Death Hell and the grave who is now triumphing over all principalities and Powers The sence then may be such as this that it put an end to his terrene and mortall life and conversation amongst them here i Mors vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non quòd omnia in morte cum morte siniantur quia etiam de Christi morte haec appellatio usurpatur sed quia terrenae mortali huic vitae ac mundanae conversationi finem imponit Gerh. in locum comin Joh. 13.1 and so hee loved them to the end of that course he steered with them here in the body For 't was come to this that bodily presence must now for a time be suspended corporall fellowship certainly ended though very sad newes to the hearts of his followers Disciples yet all in love Now he and his must be taken asunder for a time that they may be joyn'd together againe when time shall be no more Thus when Jesus knew the houre was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father loving his owne he loved them did cleave to them even unto the end The note from the words then may be such as this Christ loves
2.14 15. Before this God and his people by election were twaite did disagree and can two walke together except they agree if they could what comfort should a soule have to walk and worke with an Enemie trust himselfe in the hand of an Enemie Now this blessed act of Christ's love hath made God and his people friends hath taken away the wall of partition so that now we may goe boldly and freely to the Throne of grace * Heb. 4.16 through Christ who before durst not see his face Now that there was but one and had not he undertooke it there had been no other 't was greatest love that he in mans distresse would doe it There are two reasons of his fitnesse in this particular respect First he onely could discover how great the breach was that sinne had made Secondly he only could make the atonement being in favour with God the Lords equall Secondly that hee be able to beare the deserts of the offendor onely Christ was able to beare the just demerits of sinne that wrath of a Divine Majesty that was due to sinne Alas humanity cannot stand under the wrath of such Diety a little displeasure of God you see can breake us in pieces beat us to powder Wee cannot tell how to behave our selves under small afflictions a little paine in the head tooth heart bellie back or sides casts us downe when as all the paines and evills of this life are lesse then the least of all our sinnes how much lesse then could humanity stand under the wrath due to every sinne of one person nay to every sin of every person It must be a God as well as a man that was able to doe this This Christ did hee stood under the sinnes of all the elect that ever did or ever shall survive in this inferiour world Thinke of it then was there ever any sorrowes like to his sorrowes * Lam. 1.12 what a burthen bare hee The Church useth the speech to Christ when she was under but small suffering but might not Christ to dampe the Spirit of murmuring under a light Crosse have said so to her and all her children You just ones you see his fitnesse to die for you Thirdly that he be able to satisfie for the offence none else could satisfie Divine Justice and a just Law for sinne ô who then would sinne sith such suffering was required for satisfaction Some men will feare to offend against the civill Law if they perceive that any great satisfaction is required any great mulct inflicted for the breach of the Law Hence murthers rapines buggeries are not so many as they would be because the Law exacts no lesse then life in such a case and pray tell me what 's the life of man to the life of God of Christ it's nothing yet some out of naturall tendernesse will weep for the death of a man and that in great measure but have not one teare for Christ thinke not of him are every day striving as much as in them lies to crucifie the Lord of Glory afresh and put him to open shame by their sinnes If it be not so what meaneth the breaking out of your piercing sinnes flinty hearts ô foolish and unkind will yee thus requite the Lord and the love of Christ Fourthly that hee be without sinne he that is a sinner can but die for his owne sinne as in the case of two malefactors the suffering of the one cannot acquit the other because they are both under one and the same condemnation Christ was thus afflicted for your sakes Silver and gold was not the price of our soules corruptible thing 's were invalid to this purpose 't was precious bloud * 1 Pet. 1.18 not of a sinner but of one that saves from sinne a Lamh of God without blemish spotlesse * ver 19. Fifthly that he personate the party offending so as that the same perfection of nature may fall for sinne which fell in and by sinne Christ was the common person personating as a second Adam the first Adam and all his posterity offering the same nature for sinne which fell by sinne from the patterne of perfection God himselfe By man came death and by man came the resurrection from the dead * 1 Cor. 15.21 man for man person for person nature for nature name for name * ver 45. Sixthly that the satisfaction be eqivolent to the indemnitie suffered and sustain'd God suffered by the losse of his Image in man so as that nothing except the like in value to what was lost is of equall value in the Lords esteeme Thus did Christ and much more for the Elect he gave to his Father a more refined and better accomplished nature then Adam lost for Adam was left mutable and so he might either stand or fall But Christ hath so ordered the matter for Christians as that that part of the Divine nature which they have is uncapable of any such mutation g Qui operatur ut accedamus operatur ne discedamus Aug. de bon persev c. 7. Phil. 1.6 sooner may the Heavens bow downe to the earth and the earth it selfe ascend to the Heavens darknesse it selfe be made as the Light then that grace can cease to be grace till it becomes glory Satisfaction must be plenary First to put a glory upon Justice the Justice of him who exacts the reparation and that for the setting forth 1. The austerity of Justice 2. The impartiality of it First thus it pleased the Father to bruise Christ for sinners to set forth the austerity of his Justice in this particular whereas he would not be content with a slight satisfaction or payment God will have one worthy for another yea a person ten thousand times more worthy to satisfie for the wrong than was he that did the wrong for the first man was of the earth earthie who did the wrong the second man was the Lord from Heaven * 1 Cor. 15.47 who made the satisfaction Secondly the impartiality of Justice in discovering that the most high will not connive at sinne no not in his owne and onely begotten Sonne the Sonne of his dearest love Rom. 8.32 he spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all so that if the dearest Sonne of his dearest love will take upon him the sins of the elect he must beare their chastizement Hee was wounded for their transgressions and bruised for their iniquities the chastizement of their peace was laid on him and by his striyes they are healed * Isa 53.5 Could not Christ escape for sinne that he tooke upon him did not God spare a Sonne of love where then you sonnes of wrath can you bee safe from the hand of Justice Every man by nature is a sonne of wrath Eph. 2.3 and without this grace Christ had not been a Sonne of love oh yee sinners in Syon stand amazed at this strictnesse of God against sinne and turne not your
loose you can you tell I tell you that to die here is to begin to live for ever hereafter Secondly in Infringements and imprisonments of the body hee suffers with them gives rest unto them z Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia qaictum aspiceâ—e quiescere est Bern. in Cant. 23. is it not better you sensible soules to be in prison with Christ than to bee at Liberty without him nay is it not better to be in Hell with him than in heaven without him if such a thing could be doth not his presence prove a Heaven a Christus nobiscum 1. Politicè ut Rex in Regno Dux in exercitu 2. Occonomicè ut Pater in domo 3. Ethicè ut ratio in homine 4. Physicè ut anima in corpore Cornel. à lapide what 's the Heaven above but the fruition of God and Christ and Christians tell me when you injoy much of Christ in the closet or Congregation when you feele the warmth heat and vigour of all his love and spirituall graces working upon your drooping Spirits doe they not revive you put much life in you his words are Spirit and life much more then are his works Is it not your Heaven to enjoy and for your soules to possesse their beloved's presence b Heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Bern. in Cant. ser 13. Res delicata est Spiritus Dei Tertu Memor sum quanta pace fruebar cum in Domino gaudebam ideò nunc magis doleo quia scio quid perdidi scio quà m maxima bona amisi redde quod per peccatum mihi abstuli redde quod meâ culpâ perdidi Savanarol medit in Psal Miserere c. Thirdly in wounds or hurts of the body or mind if Saul goes to Damascus and treads but on the feet of Christ the meanest and lowest of his servants Doth not Christ bow his head yea all his body to save them will it not make him crye out Saul Saul why doest thou tread on my feet persecute me in the least of my members yea certainly had he ne'r opened his mouth before yet then as the dumbe sonne of Craesus by straining his voice had the strings of his tongue unloosed when he saw his Father like to be butchered crying Oh! kill not King Craesus so Christ could the former be which cannot be in him yet then when they suffer he suffers with them and cries as to Saul Kill not my children pierce me not cut mee not in pieces rob not imprison me not he now plainely speakes this in our eares by his word could wee but mind it Christians when you are touch'd with a hurtfull touch so sensible is hee that he is touch'd in the apple of his eye too his eye smarts whose you are and hee that made eyes assure your selves will soone heale that eye sore when 't is seasonable to doe it Lastly in hurts of the mind Are you wounded in Spirit troubled in mind tempted he is tempted with you wounded with you troubled with you is not this love discover'd Now hee is in Heaven he is touch'd with a feeling of your infirmities on earth c Inchoata in incarnatione completa in ascensione Cornel. à Lapide Are you tempted so was he and that in all points like to you sinne being excepted viz. sinne did not tempt him as it doth you but then he was tempted by Satan to sinne as well as Satan tempts you to sinne d This I take to be the sense of the place instance that sore temptation to cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple to murther himself and that temptation hee tempted him withall to commit Idolatrie to fall downe and worship a Devill like a Heathen hee also tempted him to distrust infidelity when he would have had him make bread of stones as though God could not live without bread or as though there were not enough of God in the blessed man to sustaine him a little longer yea for ever if he pleased without food CHAP. V. Of the ends of Chrisi's love EVery thing hath its end * Prov. 23.18 and every thing is such as its end is as the thing is towhich it tends all 's well that ends well that 's the Proverb not more ancient then true 't is the end that crowns the action when God would prove a person action or thing to be good or evill he takes this course observes and bids us observe also what the end of the person or thing is at which it aimes or tends marke the perfect man and behold the upright man saith the Lord for the end of that man is * Psal 37.37 peace though hee ha's trouble in his beginning and progresse yet ha's he peace in his end viz. his way tends to peace though hee sowes in teares yet hee reapes in joy for Light is sowne for the Righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart men sow to the end they may reape Thus he proves an upright man to be a good man by his good end So saith he the end of the wicked shall be cut off Viz. He shall misse of all that hee aimes at hee thinkes whatsoever his life be his death shall be good he aimes at happines after a sort but takes asunder the meanes from the end when such an one dies all his thoughts perish where is his hope when God takes away his soule saith Job either his sinne with himselfe shall have no end for sinne in its fruits goe to hell with him lives for ever with him sinnes are his workes and they follow him or secondly his end shall be and that most certainly the beginning of his never ending torment by paine of losse and sense together viz. his sinne tends that way leads thither Some desire Heaven but 't is not so much for the societie of God and Christ as from a carnall conceit that there 's no want there they shall have fulnesse Doe not carnall men dreame of carnall eating in Christ's Kingdome happie said the Jewes are they who shall eat bread with thee in thy Kingdome but this end shew'd their desire was carnall for Christ reproves them when he tells them the Kingdome of Heaven consists not in meats or drinkes but in Righteousnesse and true holinesse Every true lover propounds to himselfe his end ha's his end and that 's true of Christ hee hath ends for which he loves and to which his love tends His ends are such as these 1. To make his object lovely 2. To present his Spouse blamelesse 3. To keep the soule stainlesse 4. To save the soule harmelesse FIrst he loves to make his lovely in his owne blessed sight and unto his owne glorious selfe Christ loves comely Christians Christ's frame on a Christians spirit is a Christ-aluring beautie a choice Spouse's distance from her loyall husband is a cord of love to draw his presence to her long suspension of personall fellowship makes communion sweeter